Helping A Friend In Need
by Oakenshield's Star
Summary: Sometimes it takes courage for people to open their eyes.


Helping A Friend In Need

This was the last straw, I was watching Thorin talking to Gandalf about where Gandalf had wondered of too, nothing wrong with that but, of course when the grumpy dwarf King talks about the trolls saying it was all that burglar's fault, I had had enough.

I walked right up to Mr smartie pants in a fury with him.

"I've just had about enough of you," I spat at Thorin, who was looking at me with wide blue eyes "It wasn't Bilbo's fault you all got caught by those dumb trolls. It was your dear nephews that caused this mess in the first place!"

I turn my head and caught Fili and Kili looking anywhere but Thorin and I.

"God knows what those two were doing before this mess, but when they did realise that the ponies were doing a disappearing act," I turn my head around, facing Thorin again who I realised was watching me intently "instead of informing you straight away that trolls were nearby, they took it in themselves to encourage Bilbo to do their dirty work, instead of them! So don't you dare stand there mouthing of about Bilbo when he was the one who took the initiative by confusing these three trolls by his ingenious idea of his. If it wasn't for him, you all be-," I trailed of, as I couldn't bare the thought of what could have happened.

"You know what, I've had it with the lot of you!"

With that I walked of to wherever, taking no notice of all the protests from the others plus ignoring the real culprits Fili and Kili who still would not look me in the eyes.

I walk until I come across a stream and I sat down on the grass wondering what I was going to do next. Ever since I agreed to do this quest, I noticed Thorin always gave Bilbo filthy looks. I also noticed he did the same to me, for whatever reason. I knew the reason could be because I was really an outsider. I wasn't a dwarf nor was I an elf, no I was just a normal human lady. Thorin hated outsiders that was apparent.

I knew he was a proud, stubborn dwarf but I also knew that deep inside his soul, was a loyal good king that helped people out, well, except for elves. I knew the story about Erebor that was partly why I accepted his offer of help. I was surprised when he asked me back in Bree. As far as I was concerned, he knew nothing about me until after the meeting at Bilbo's.

I was so deep in thought that I did not realise someone sit besides me by the stream, until he spoke of course.

"You should not walk of like that My Lady."

I jumped at the voice and turn my head to where the voice came from and saw Thorin watching me intently.

"I was angry!"

"So I've noticed," his baritone voice sent a shiver down my spine which of course he noticed "You are freezing!"

"I'm alright."

Thorin surprised me next by placing his cloak around my shoulders.

"Can't have our angel catch a chill."

_'Angel?' _I thought to myself

Where did this come from I wondered. Since when did Thorin show concern for me, but I remember the look from earlier and I shiver again, feeing butterflies flutter in my stomach.

"You were not serious about leaving us, were you Naomi?"

I sighed.

"I just hate the way you treat Bilbo."

"Naomi." whispered Thorin.

"I hate bullies Thorin and seeing the way your nephews treated Bilbo like that, disgusted me."

"You never answered my question Naomi!"

I hold onto Thorin's cloak thinking how to answer him.

"My men have accepted you Naomi," began Thorin, breaking into my thoughts "They would miss you, as would I."

I watch him in complete shock.

"You would miss me, I thought you hated me!"

"Hate you," replied Thorin looking shocked "Naomi you give me strength. How can I hate you?"

"The way you watch Bilbo and I for one thing."

I heard Thorin sigh.

"I admit that Master Baggins was not what I wanted. He knows nothing of the world!"

"His learning." I point out to him.

"That was sheer luck!"

"No, that was a clever plan. Bilbo is a very intelligent hobbit!"

Thorin snorted at that last remark, causing me to roll my eyes.

"I don't hate you Naomi I-I-,"

"I don't understand!"

Thorin groans.

"Ever since I've laid eyes on you, you have somehow managed to claim my heart."

"Thorin I-,"

"Please let me finish Naomi," interrupted Thorin, placing his finger on my lips "You not only speak your mind, you fight just as well as my men. I know for a fact it was you that encouraged that burglar to use his brain for once."

"I have no idea on what you are talking about!" I managed to say.

"Naomi, I am no fool, you _Did _do something to him. You made him have courage for once!"

"You have proof of this!"

I was surprised to actually hear Thorin laugh. It was a sight to see. I have never heard him laugh before and I found I liked it. It made him look more relaxed. I really wished I had met him years ago, before that dragon stole his home.

I catch Thorin watching me, his finger that was on my lip is now trailing to my cheek, sending an electric jolt through my entire body. He leans forward and looks at me than at my mouth whispering,

"It was you, that saved us from those trolls, I saw your eyes change from brown to gold. Admittedly it was a blink and you miss it moment but, I know what I saw," Thorin is now mere inches from me, I could feel his warm breath on my face. "Question is, will you dare deny what I witnessed or will you speak the truth?"

"I deny nothing," I murmur "but perhaps you only thought my eyes changed colour, after all the sun was beginning to rise an-,"

"The sun was not even up yet," interrupted Thorin caressing my cheek tenderly "It was still dark. Your eyes always go gold when you use your power. I know you care for that Master burglar."

It was my turn to interrupt,

"Of course I care about Bilbo, he is a dear friend of mine!"

"Just a friend?"

I nod my head, not noticing Thorin's smile.

"I'm glad to hear it!" mused Thorin "It's bad enough you flirt with my nephews!"

"I beg your pardon?"

Thorin chuckles.

It was true, that the two brothers had taken me under their wings, _'so to speak'_ but to hear Thorin say I flirt with his nephews was laughable. Fili and Kili were my best friends and that was all.

Thinking about them though, I realised I was still angry for their behavior towards Bilbo.

~~Flashback~~

I remembered watching both Fili and Kili egg Bilbo on to retrieve our stolen ponies. I was completely livid by all this but before I could say anything, Bilbo was walking of towards the light in the forest.

"If anything should happen to Bilbo," I whispered to the brothers "I will personally throw you towards the trolls myself!"

I got up, seeing as both Fili and Kili were watching Bilbo walk further away from the safetly of the camp. Sighing, I quickly ran back in the camp and went up to Thorin, who was leaning against that ranshached house.

"There are trolls in the forest." I say to him.

Thorin looks at me and tilts his head.

"So!"

I could not believe this, was he this dense?

"So," I began, noticing my voice pitch up a little "Bilbo is at this second, trying to retrieve our ponies that the trolls have taken."

Thorin straightens himself up and glares at me.

_'Really you glare at me, like it's my fault!' _I thought, frowning back at him.

"His done what?" roars Thorin who then looks for his men "Everyone, follow me, we have to rescue that annoying burglar!"

For a moment I stare at his back.

_'How dare he insult Bilbo!'_

I quickly follow Ori who was the last to leave and I quickly see that everyone else is now fighting three trolls. I had a strange feeling come towards me, like I should stay where I was. I knew the trolls would get the upper hand and sure enough, they had my comrades surrounded. I saw Bilbo cuting the rope that were holding the ponies together, setting them free.

I watch in horror as these trolls capture them and place Thorin and Co in sacks while the other half were tied up to a spit and were slowly being turned around by one of these stinky trolls.

I was wondering what to do, when one of the trolls mention about the sun. I watch from behind a tree, the trolls were not paying attention to the dwarves in the sacks. I look around and notice Bilbo. He looks like he has figured out the meaning of what the trolls have said but still he doesn't do anything.

I sigh, looking at the ground to see how I could grab Bilbo's attention. There was nothing on the ground except fallen leafs.

_'Yeah, that would work,_' I thought sarcastically to myself _'Throw some leafs in the air to get Bilbo's attention, I don't think.'_

I glance up and watch everyone, I saw Thorin not looking at all amused by this and I could tell at once that he blamed everything on Bilbo.

My eyes go back on Bilbo and still he is not doing anything.

_'Come on Bilbo,_' I willed him telepathically _'You can show these dwarves you have courage and have a sharp mind.'_

It was when I thought that, I saw Bilbo slowly get up with great difficulty and say,

"Wait! You are making a terrible mistake."

"You can't reason with them, they're half-wits!" cried out Dori.

"Half-wits? What does that make us?" scoffed Bofur.

Bilbo jump walks in his sack which would be comical if the situation was completely different.

"Uh, I meant with the, uh, with, uh, with the seasoning." said Bilbo.

I smile to myself as I knew then that Bilbo was forming a plan of action.

"What about the seasoning?" asked one of the trolls, staring at Bilbo with beady eyes.

"Well have you smelt them? You're going to need something stronger than sage before you plate this lot up." remarked Bilbo.

I see and hear all the Company call Bilbo a traitor. Why didn't they realise, that Bilbo was stalling these thick, stinky trolls.

"What do you know about cooking dwarf?" asked another troll that was turning the spit with my friends tied to it.

"Shut up, and let the, uh, flurgaburburrahobbit talk." cried out the troll near Bilbo.

"Uh, th-the secret to cooking dwarf is, um-," stammered Bilbo.

_'Come on Bilbo, be strong, you can do this!_' I thought to him again.

Not that he heard me, it was just coincidence that he was stalling him.

"Yes? Come on." remarked the troll near Bilbo.

"It's, uh-," stuttered Bilbo.

"Tell us the secret." exclaimed the same troll.

"Ye-yes, I'm telling you, the secret is … to skin them first!" replied Bilbo.

To say I was in shock was an understatement and apparently I was not the only one, as every dwarf, looked at Bilbo with disgust.

_'Why did he say that?'_ I thought _'This is not looking good!'_

"Tom, get me the filleting knife." chuckled the troll near the spit.

"If I get you, you little-," sneered Kili glaring at Bilbo.

"You should talk," I muttered under my breath "considering it was you and Fili's idea to drag Bilbo to do your dirty work in the first place!"

"I won't forget that!" said Gloin also glaring at Bilbo.

I had a strange feeling that Gandalf was nearby now.

"What a load of rubbish! I've eaten plenty with their skins on. Scuff them, I say, boots and all." exclaimed the troll turning the spit.

"e's right! Nothing wrong with a bit of raw dwarf! Nice and crunchy." said the troll next to the other troll turning the spit.

The troll them grabs Bombur and looks like he is about to be eaten.

"Not-not that one, he-he's infected!" cried out Bilbo.

"You what?" said the troll holding onto Bombur who was now upside down.

"Yeah, He's got worms in his … tubes." remarked Bilbo.

I watch the troll drop Bombur back down near the others, thankfully he appears to be unhurt.

"In-in fact they all have, they're in-infested with parasites. It's a terrible business, I wouldn't risk it, I really wouldn't." carried on Bilbo, clearing enjoying himself now.

"Don't overdo it Bilbo!" I whispered to no one.

"Parasites, did he say parasites?" exclaimed Oin looking disgusted.

"We don't have parasites! You have parasites!" scoffed Kili to Bilbo.

"What are you talking about, laddie?" asked Gloin to Bilbo clearly hurt that Bilbo thought they all had parasites.

I watch the rest of the dwarves chime in about how they can't possibly have parasites and how Bilbo is a fool and an idiot. Bilbo rolls his eyes as the dwarves mess up his plan. I turn my attention to Thorin and I was surprised to see that he was watching me.

_'Thorin, play the game. Bilbo is stalling these morons!' _I thought to him.

Thorin looks at Bilbo then to me and I saw him kick Fili. The dwarves finally realise what Bilbo was doing and go along with them shouting that they all had parasites.

"Finally the penny drops!" I whisper, sighing with relief.

Everyone was moving around but I saw the trolls faces. They just watched them. I knew I had do something. I decide on what to do next when a thought struck me. Staying where I was, I began my own plan, hoping that the Sun would show up sometime soon.

"You think I don't know what you're up to? This little ferret is taking us for fools!" exclaimed the troll near Bilbo.

Imitating a trolls voice, I say.

"Why don't we start eating the ponies first?"

I watch from behind the tree and see one troll look at the other troll who was turning the spit with many of my friends on there, then look at the now absent ponies that Bilbo had freed eariler. I watch one troll walk in that direction then stop, scratch his head in confusion then walk back with a worried look on his face.

"The ponies have disappeared." I heard him say.

"No they haven't, I tied them up good and proper, see!" the other troll said, pointing his thick finger to an empty pen.

"Are they invisable then, cos I can't see a thing!" I mimiced again, trying not to laugh.

I watch one of the trolls walk in the direction where the ponies used to be.

"They were right here, I tied them up personally with my speical knot."

"Well," I mimic again "You made a right mess with this, didn't ya? If you concentrated on your surroundings instead of picking your nose and flicking it into our dinner."

"I do not pick me nose Bert!" shouted the troll by the spit.

"Yes you do, and wipe your ass when you think no one is looking." I mimic again.

I look around from the tree and see the trolls getting nearer to the one by the spit. I scan the area and noticed something grey running in the background. I sigh and catch sight at The Company, hoping they were alright.

"You take that back," sneered one of the trolls "I do not flick the contents out of me nose."

"What are you talking about?" shouted the troll, turning the spit.

He actually looked shocked. Which was understandable, considering it was really me mimicking him.

"We all heard you Bert, you said-,"

While all three trolls were turning on each other, I slowly crept towards my friends. Along the way, I noticed a sword on the ground and quickly grabbed it. Thorin and the others were watching the now fighting trolls to notice me. With sword in hand, I managed to cut the nearest dwarf that was now in front of me, Balin.

"Naomi." Balin whispered when he realised he was free from the sack.

"Quickly help me untie everyone else!" I whispered back.

"Right you are lass!"

"You take that back!" I heard one of the trolls screech.

"Something smells around here!" said another.

"I think you'll find it's you!" I mutter under my breath as I cut Fili out next as he was nearer to me then Thorin who was watching me affectionly.

_'Wait what, why is he looking at me like that?' _I thought.

"I say we eat the dwarves," said a troll.

"I say, shut your mouths!" I mutter under my breath, freeing Kili now who I noticed had a soppy grin on his face.

"Er some are missing!"

"THE DAWN WILL TAKE YOU ALL!" shouted a voice I knew from the other side of the clearing.

And there stood Gandalf, standing on top of the rock.

"Who's that?"

"I don't know."

"Can we eat him?"

Gandalf rammed his staff into the rock, the rock cracks, then break in half and sunlight filled the clearing. The trolls cried out in pain and then began to turn to stone. I began to cut rest of the dwarves free with the sword.

When everyone was free, I sat on the ground trying to get my breath back. I heard movement and saw the others walk towards me. Getting up slowly, I faced them.

"That was you wasn't it?" asked Dwalin.

"I-," I stutter.

"You made those trolls turn on each other!" smirked Balin.

"Well I-," I start blushing.

"That was fantastic," beamed Kili slapping my back, hard "We could have been in serious trouble if you hadn't of intervened."

Kili then pulled me into a tight embrace as do Fili and even Dwalin hugs me.

~~End Flashback~~

"Naomi, are you even listening?"

I snap out of my thoughts and notice Thorin was still stroking my cheek.

"Where were you?" asked Thorin, smirking a little.

"Remembering what just happened."

"Then you realise that you are more helpful than that blasted halfing!"

I glare at Thorin who finds this amusing by laughing. Despite myself, hearing Thorin laugh again sets me of as well.

"Your mimicking of a troll was very convincing," smiled Thorin "I saw Ori looking around, for the fourth troll."

"Your making that up!"

"Am I indeed!"

I nod.

"I shall be having a long conversation with my nephews, they will never pull a stunt like that ever again. I apologise for not opening my eyes wider. You would think I would learn what they are capable of getting up to. Kili is the worst, he is rather reckless."

Thorin watches me with a smile on his face.

"I am surprised though, that Master Baggins followed through with their orders."

"He was trying to save the ponies!"

Thorin nods his head.

"Yet we are now without them!" points out Thorin.

"At least they are alive though," I muse "running freely in the wild, without a worry in the world."

"What about you?" asked Thorin, I look at him, confused "Eariler you said you had it with the lot of us. Does that mean you are leaving?"

"No, I was just so angry."

"So, you will stay with m- I mean us."

"Thorin, I am not leaving you or the others. I never break a promise."

"Glad to hear it." replied Thorin "I don't express my feeling to well and when I saw you walk of, I thought I had lost you!"

Thorin then leans forward and placed his lips over mine, kissing me slow and tenderly.

"You are still a pain," whispered Thorin against my lips "but I would never change that for anyone. My angel."

I was about to protest but Thorin crashed his lips on mine again making me forget what I wanted to say. Nonetheless, I finally worked out why Thorin has been watching me these past couple of weeks and I smile into the kiss, realising I was in love with a king and vice versa and I wouldn't have it any other way.


End file.
